Monthly Archives: December 2010

You are invited to be part of creating a sustainable vision for the Harbor Boulevard corridor. The City of Santa Ana is
committed to identifying opportunities for urban and transit-oriented mixed-use development and more affordable
housing along key transit corridors such as Harbor Boulevard. The new Harbor Corridor Plan will create a vision for:

Housing and mixed-use development opportunities

Economic vitality and new opportunities for businesses and residents

Transportation choices, particularly pedestrian and bicycle

A sense of place

Most importantly, you’ll have an opportunity to tell us what you think and provide valuable feedback to help shape
the vision.

What: Informational Open House for the Harbor Boulevard Corridor

When: Thursday, December 9, 2010

A presentation will take place at 7:00 p.m.

Attend the open house anytime between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.

Where: Plumbers & Steamfitters Local Union Building

3904 West First Street (just west of Harbor Blvd.)
Santa Ana, CA 92703

For more information or to be added to our mailing list for future project updates, please visit our website at
www.santa-ana.org/harborplan or call us at (714) 667-2792. If you’re unable to attend, please leave us a message with
your ideas or send us an email to harborplan@santa-ana.org.

Would you like to help shape the future of Harbor Boulevard? What would make the Harbor Boulevard area a better place
to live, work and shop? What would make Harbor Boulevard more walkable and bike-friendly?

This is a project for the City of Santa Ana with funding provided by the Southern California Association of Governments’ (SCAG) Compass Blueprint Program. Compass Blueprint assists Southern California cities and other organizations in evaluating planning options and stimulating development consistent with the region’s goals. Compass Blueprint tools support visioning efforts, infill analyses, economic and policy analyses, and marketing and communication programs. The preparation of this report has been financed in part through grant(s) from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) in accordance with the provisions under the Metropolitan Planning Program as set forth in Section 104(f) of Title 23 of the U.S. Code.

The contents of this report reflect the views of the author who is responsible for the facts and accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of

SCAG, DOT or the State of California. This report does not constitute a standard, specification or regulation. SCAG shall not be responsible for the City’s future use or adaptation of the report.

Free Vaccine Day (Flu & Pneumococcal) Wednesday December 8, from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., at Calvary Church of Santa Ana, located at 1010 North Tustin. This event is sponsored by Supervisor Janet Nguyen, the O.C. Health Care Agency, and Calvary Church of Santa Ana.

For more information and vaccination details, please click here, or for Spanish click here, or call the Office of Supervisor Nguyen at (714) 834-3110.

Some of the artists in downtown Santa Ana’s Artist Village are not happy about a new valet parking service that is being coordinated by the Downtown Santa Ana Restaurant Association and the City of Santa Ana.

I received a number of emails about this, but held off on writing about it until I had more information. I just received an email from Gabriela Lomeli, who works in the City of Santa Ana’s Redevelopment department, explaining what this valet parking program is all about:

The valet program is a 90-day pilot program that the city is launching with the intent to service all the businesses in and around the Artists Village.

The pilot program will require the temporary use of six meters on the east side of Broadway from 2nd to 3rd St. after 6pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. A secondary valet station will be on west side of Sycamore Street between 2nd and 3rd St. The city is receptive to your concerns and would like to work with you. I ask that you allow this first trial run weekend to be completed and provide me with comments/feedback after the weekend. This is a pilot program and we are open to making modifications in order to ensure a successful program that benefits all.

To clarify, in the downtown area you are allowed to park in a metered stall up to two hours. The Temporary No Parking from 4pm to 2am means you cannot begin your two hour parking at or after 4pm because that would conflict with the valet service to begin at 6pm. As an example, if someone parks at 3pm they have until 5pm to vacate the metered space.

Matthew Southgate, an artist who owns a gallery in the Santora Building, had this to say about the parking program, in an email he widely distributed early this morning:

This is an “Artist Village” Folks. That is the popularity of the place. If the City, or “Downtown Inc.” is intent on gentrifying the area, must they be so sloppy about it? If the idea is to upgrade the clientele of the area, it is not going to be achieved by depopulating the area first. That is not going to work! A Valet Parking station is not a bad idea in theory, but it all depends on how it is implemented. Tonight’s “trial run” was just a Deja Vu of the Independence Day celebration when all of the street parking on Broadway, 3rd and Sycamore was turned into a De-Militarized Zone! Non-sense!

$8.00 Valet Parking is not a security measure! It is a show off for Pimp Daddies, Wannabe High Rollers, C.E.O.s and Ignorant Tourists that want to”slum” but not really slum and get drunk! The loyal customers of the Artist Village don’t need or want any of this. They just want the alleys to be lit, a cop patrol car and security cameras in the vicinity. This is not “Vegas” and no artist, art patron, or Santa Ana resident wants it to be.

Alicia Rojas, another artist in the downtown area, responded thusly:

Maybe this is an issue that we artist can bring up in the next city council meeting. This pilot was provably approved by the city for the restaurants but the concerns of the artist at Santora where not even discussed..apparently the Guild and artist where not aware of the pilot or the restaurants plans for a new over the top valet parking. I am assuming that the concerns here also come from a lack of awareness with what is being planned because of the big shock wave that was heard all over Broadway last night.

I think that the issue here is that the artists feel they have been left out of the planning, which in truth they have. I don’t think this was willful on the part of the businesses and the City of Santa Ana, but it is an issue that must be dealt with.

My suggestion is that the City of Santa Ana form an Artist Village Advisory Commission, which will include representatives of all the stakeholders in the area. The Commission might include:

Mayor Miguel Pulido, or a designated Commissioner to represent him

Councilwoman Michele Martinez, whose ward includes downtown Santa Ana

An artist from the Santora building

An artist from the surrounding area, who is not in the Santora

A small business owner, in the area, such as the folks at Calacas

A representative of the CSUF Grand Central Art Center

A City of Santa Ana representative, from Planning or Redevelopment

And representatives from Downtown Inc and the Downtown Santa Ana Restaurant Association

This new Commission will be able to consider projects that affect everyone, so that no one will feel left out.

As for the valet issue, I see both sides of it. I think it may need some fine-tuning and it appears that this is a distinct possibility.

We do need visitors from outside the area. If the valet parking helps bring them in, all the better.

I like the suggestions offered by Daniella Southgate, in response to Matt’s initial email regarding the valet parking:

From an outsiders position, but as one who has studied current gentrification issues in LA, this is what I suggest;

1) CONCERNS- Identify and clarify the concerns so people can focus on the solutions asap. When giving a complaint, do not add to the issue by serving up negative emotion with it; forcing people to hunt for the concrete complaint amongst the insults.

2) SOLUTIONS- Once the concerns are clarified, focus on the possible solutions. In general who is heard is who is helpful, and who is helpful is who has solutions.

3) DON’T WHINE- If you take the time to complain and stir up the pot, have the consideration to come up with some good solutions presented with your complaint. (If the artists represent themselves as unprofessional and whiny, guess what kids, you will get steam rolled. No one likes a whiner.)

4) CONSIDER THE POSITIVE- Concerns and kinks aside, if I had a business in The Santora building, I would be happy a group of people, with expendable cash, where going to be delivered, with no cost to me, to my business’ front door and stuck there as a captive audience with time to kill. Most business owners would also consider this a positive, and the smart business owners would be working on how to maximize the opportunity.

5) MAXIMIZE THE OPPORTUNITY- If I were a Santora business owner I would be focusing on;

a) my entrance’s appearance and how to draw the captive audience in. Does it?
b) my merchandise and making sure I had some clearly marked items at a lower price point for quick purchases displayed in a way that can be easily seen at the front of the store.
c) Most of all, I would be focusing on getting an ATM machine inside the building, but not far from the valet, so all those people who need to pay for their parking, will go to my business, get some cash, and hopefully spend some money in my business. (Santora, be smart and conjure up a bargaining chip to get this to happen asap.)

(Santa Ana, CA) – The County of Orange Armory Emergency Shelter Program is scheduled to open at alternate sites on December 6, 2010 until the California National Guard Armory locations become available for use later in the month (maps attached). The program is anticipated to open at the Fullerton and Santa Ana Armory locations on December 13, 2010 (address information attached). The seasonal emergency shelter program provides up to 400 beds for homeless families and individuals. The program provides shelter to families and individuals along with a nutritious meal, warm shower, safe place to sleep, warm clothes, a wide variety of supportive services, and a friendly and safe atmosphere.

The Armory Emergency Shelter Program is a vital link in our community’s efforts to take care of those who lack proper shelter at night and to provide needed services to families and individuals. The Armory Emergency Shelter Program is possible due to the help of hundreds of volunteers from County agencies, churches, and other community groups.

In addition, the following agencies provide on-site services aimed at breaking the cycle of homelessness and moving families and individuals to self-sufficiency and independent living: Orange County Health Care Agency, Orange County Social Services Agency, Salvation Army, Veteran’s First, Serving People In Need, Mental Health Association of Orange County, Public Law Center, Orange County Rescue Mission, 2-1-1 Orange County, and many others. Donations from other non-profit organizations, churches, and individuals add to the available resources to make this program a success. The program is operated by Mercy House through a contract with the County of Orange, OC Community Services.

“This program fills a critical gap in Orange County’s Continuum of Care system for the homeless,” stated Karen Roper, Director of OC Community Services.

# # # # #

Orange County Armory Emergency Shelter Program 2010 – 2011

PROGRAM SUMMARY:

The Orange County Armory Emergency Shelter program provides up to 400 beds per night for the homeless at the National Guard Armories in Fullerton and Santa Ana. The homeless will receive a nutritious meal, a warm shower and a safe place to sleep. Volunteers will distribute donations of warm clothing, and service providers from Orange County will be onsite to provide needed services.

DATES: The program will begin operations at alternate sites on December 6, 2010 (see attached map).
The opening date at the Fullerton site is December 13, 2010.
The opening date at the Santa Ana site is December 13, 2010.

Mercy House is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to be the leader in ending homelessness by providing a unique system of dignified housing alternatives, programs, and supportive services.

The Armory program provides up to 400 beds per night for the homeless in Fullerton and Santa Ana.

The next meeting of the Water Advisory Committee of Orange County (WACO) will be Friday, December 10, 2010 from 7:30 – 9:00 a.m. in the MWDOC/OCWD Board Room (18700 Ward Street, Fountain Valley). Attached is the meeting agenda.

We are pleased to have the following program scheduled for the meeting:

The Southern California Water Committee: Setting a Course for 2011 and Beyond. Rich Atwater, Executive Director, Southern California Water Committee

IRVINE –Marines are trained to value “the unit” over the individual. This mindset is critical in the field, but during day-to-day life on the base, some artistically-minded Marines found ways to express themselves by using just about any flat surface as blank canvas. The buildings of the former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro revealed a history of rebellious creativity to a group of photographers documenting the base closure. A special exhibition at the Great Park shares these striking images.

While the buildings are mostly gone, the original underground artwork lives on through the work of those photographers — The Legacy Group. The public is cordially invited to join the artists of the Legacy Group for dessert, coffee and lively conversation celebrating the special exhibition Phantoms Phorever: Art + Language at MCAS El Toro at the Orange County Great Park Visitors Center on Thursday, December 9, 2010 at 8:00 PM.

Phantoms Phorever: Art + Language at MCAS El Toro celebrates the memory of Jerry Burchfield (1947-2009), Legacy Group co-founder, and honors co-founders Mark Chamberlin and Clayton Spada as well as Jacques Garnier, Robert Johnson and Douglas McCulloh. Their journey through MCAS El Toro’s hangars, runways and support buildings with cameras at the ready, produced an incredible visual history of El Toro. Their work also resulted in “The Great Picture,” the world’s largest photo and camera, created on site in one of El Toro’s historic hangars.

The photographs selected for this exhibition were culled from the group’s archive of nearly 200,000 images of El Toro as it transitions into the Orange County Great Park. The exhibition investigates the relationship between twentieth century art and popular culture by showcasing the work of the six Legacy Group photographers. Its arresting oversize photographs depict found site-specific art works made between 1943 and 1999 created by U.S. Marines while serving at El Toro and subsequently documented and interpreted by the Legacy Group in the course of innumerable photographic surveys of the former air base.

Among the art works on exhibition is Pain Face by Legacy Group member Robert Johnson that expresses “the G.I. blues” by featuring an agonized, open-mouthed cartoon skull with a spiky crew cut. Like the ubiquitous Kilroy character of World War II and Korea fame, Pain Face appeared all over MCAS El Toro in surprising places. When its original creator, Jim Little, who currently resides on the East Coast happened to walk into the Park’s Visitors Center several weeks ago he was extremely surprised to see his “underground” art work included in a museum-style installation.

“I almost fell over when I saw Pain Face,” said Little. “I made a stencil and put him everywhere, on stop signs, on a railroad engine, in hangers, and best of all, spray painted him fifteen feet tall on the roof of a building so aircraft landing at El Toro could see him. Discovering Robert Johnson’s art work has been the shock of my life. My wife and kids couldn’t believe how excited I got when I saw it. I talked about it for two days straight. It means so much.”

Phantoms Phorever: Art + Language at MCAS El Toro is curated by Great Park arts and culture consultant Henry Korn. An illustrated exhibition checklist with an essay by the curator is available free in the Great Park Visitors Center. For more information on the exhibition, visit www.ocgp.org. For more information on the Legacy Group, visit www.legacyphotoproject.com.

About the Great Park

The Orange County Great Park, with its 1,347-acre master plan, is the focal point of the redevelopment of the publicly-owned portion of the 4,700-acre former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro. The Great Park is currently 27.5 acres and includes an iconic tethered helium balloon that rises 400 feet in the air, providing an aerial view of Park development. A $70 million development plan to expand the Park to more than 200 acres is currently underway. The plan will build out a core section of the Park for the most immediate and wide-ranging public benefit, including the initial components of the sports park, a 114-acre agricultural area, and an art and culture exhibition space. For more information, please go to www.ocgp.org

Matt Cunningham, a Republican blogger at the Red County blog, thinks that State Senator Lou Correa, who just won reelection, is going to run against Supervisor Janet Nguyen in 2012. Here are a few excerpts from Cunningham’s post:

In 2012, Correa will be in the middle of his final term not only in the state Senate, but in the state legislature. If he has aspiration to remain in public office rather than seek his fortune in the private sector, his options are limited once he is termed out in 2014.

Challenging Sup. Janet Nguyen has several advantages, which I am sure have already occurred to Sen. Correa and his advisors as they ponder his future options:

It’s a free ride: if he fails to unseat Nguyen, he still has two years left in the state Senate.

Since Correa served less than two full years of his original term on the Board of Supervisors before becoming a Senator, he is eligible for two full, consecutive terms on the Board. Two more years as a state Senator versus eight as a county supervisor: in an age when county offices have become landing pads for termed-out legislators, that’s a pretty good trade.

I think Cunningham is very wrong, for a number of reasons:

When Correa first quit the O.C. Board of Supervisors, he angered organized labor. They were particularly tweaked to see his seat end up in Republican hands.

However – the OCEA (Orange County Employees Association) ended up befriending Janet Nguyen, who took Correa’s seat. Does Cunningham really think they will turn on her now? No they won’t.

Plus Correa really did not like being the only Democrat on the Republican dominated OC Board of Supervisors. Why would he go back to that arrangement?

Correa has a few years to figure out what to do before he terms out of the State Senate. Even Cunningham acknowledged that U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein could retire and Sanchez could run for her seat, opening up the 47th Congressional District for Correa.

Correa lives in Santa Ana, as far as I know. I believe he lives in Carlos Bustamante’s ward, which is opening up in 2012 and in 2016. Correa could finish his term on the State Senate and run for the Santa Ana City Council, or for Mayor of Santa Ana, if Mayor Miguel Pulido has moved on by then.

Correa could also, at the end of his term, run for a statewide office. As a moderate Democrat he would do well in the open primary.

Correa could also opt to leave politics and work in the private sector. He could make some real money as a lobbyist or government consultant.

I think that Assemblyman Jose Solorio is the one who is going to challenge Nguyen in 2012. Even if she redistricts her seat, I think he has a great shot at beating her. She has lost a lot of support even in her own community, in the wake of her disastrous attempt to take over the Little Saigon Black April event this year.

Santa Ana, CA – Mesa Specialty Gas and Equipment, a division of MESA International Technologies, Inc., has announced the completion of its new environmental gas manufacturing line and analytical laboratory located in Santa Ana, CA.

“The upgrade and expansion of our environmental manufacturing facilities completes another crucial step in our long term planning” said Mark Tyssee, Vice President of MESA Specialty Gases & Equipment. “The new facilities will allow us to reduce product lead times by shortening specialty gas cylinder preparation time and analytical time, all while improving product quality” Mark added.

The new facility showcases a complete line of Rosemount Analytical instrumentation used in the confirming analysis of the specialty gas mixtures. “It was important for us to select a platform that would provide a broad range of analytical capabilities and support options,” said Phu Nguyen, lab manager at MESA Specialty Gases.

“The Rosemount Analytical product line is an excellent fit for our requirements” Phu added. MESA International Technologies, Inc. was established on January 1, 1993. MESA Specialty Gas and Equipment, a division of MESA International Technologies, Inc. is a manufacturer and global supplier of highly accurate specialty gas and calibration gas standards used in a wide variety of instrument applications in the laboratory, energy, petrochemical and refinery industries. MESA is strategically located in Southern California near major shipping ports designed to minimize shipping costs and transit time to both domestic and international customers. Additional products include instrument grade support gases, calibration gas in small disposable cylinders and gas handling equipment.

Inside the kitchen, much more is going on than pouring and mixing – it’s science at work! Our holiday festival is filled with festive activities designed to bring families together this holiday season.

Gingerbread House Workshops. Learn from local chefs how to build & decorate a gingerbread house:

“Ask a Scientist” Series: See special presentations by local scientists.

“Ask a Scientist” Series Schedule:

Sat, Dec 4: FDA Supervisory Consumer Safety Officer, Vien Lee. What’s the difference between good bacteria and bad bacteria? Find out in this presentation from a real FDA Officer.

Sat, Dec 11: FDA Supervisory Consumer Safety Officer, Michael Araneta. How do you wash your vegetables? Can you leave a gallon of milk out for an hour and refrigerate? What’s pasteurization? Find out these answers and more!

All activities and demonstrations are free after admission. Dates and activites are subject to change.

As the holiday season quickly approaches, I look forward to spending time with my wife, our children, and family friends. At the same time, I’m aware that many people in Orange County are less fortunate. If you or your family needs assistance this holiday season, there are numerous organizations that can help. Below you will find just a few that are graciously serving the 34th district.

I will also be hosting my annual Holiday Open House on Wednesday, December 8, 2010 from 4:00PM to 6:00pm at my District Office in Santa Ana. Come meet other Orange County residents and bring your ideas for how to make our community even better. For more information or to RSVP, call (714) 558-4400 or email meredith.vivian@sen.ca.gov. Or click here to RSVP on Facebook.

Providence Community Services distributes gifts to needy children who would otherwise go without during the holidays. Please contact Adrienne Davalos at adavalos@provcorp.com for more information.

WISEPlace, Adopt-a-Resident

Please contact Cindy Ruiz at cruiz@wiseplace.org for more information.

Corazon, 2010 Community Christmas Party

The community of Cumbres and Pedregal are hosting a community Christmas fiesta. Please contact Julissa Espinoza at office@corazon.org for more information.

California State Senator Lou Correa – District 34
Web site: http://www.senate.ca.gov/Correa
The website is now available with sections in Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Korean.
E-mail: Senator Lou Correa

The 2010 Mayor and City Council Installation ceremony has been scheduled for Tuesday, December 14th at 6:00 PM in the City of Santa Ana Council Chambers located at 22 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana. All residents are invited to join in the celebration of the swearing in of Mayor Miguel Pulido and Council Members Michele Martinez, David Benavides and Sal Tinajero.

Voters reaffirmed their support for the terrific council majority when Mayor Pulido, Martinez and Tinajero were re-elected along with Benavides in November. After a spirited campaign season lets hope that all sides can put their differences aside and get behind the movement that will lead our community into the future. The silly season that is born out of elections that has led to ridiculous lawsuits and obstructionist behavior should now be put to rest for the good of the city.

Immediately following the ceremony at the council chambers there will be a reception at the Bowers Museum which is located at 2002 North Main Street, Santa Ana. Everyone is welcome and we here at the New Santa Ana blog look forward to see you all there. Let’s celebrate our city council and our city’s future together.

As you make end-of-year or beginning-of-year funding decisions for worthy non-profit organizations, I hope you’ll consider the Orange County Leadership Fund. Your support would not only help our cause, but also provide you with an eligible tax deduction.

Orange County is a thriving community with a population of over three million people. Maintaining our county’s quality of life will require the active involvement of community leaders, elected officials, youth and many local residents. The Orange County Leadership Fund hopes to inspire that involvement.

I am especially supportive of the organization’s new Solorio Scholars program. The Solorio Scholars program was created to inspire more high school students from central Orange County to apply for college and help them pay for their college application fees – which few scholarship programs assist with.

The Solorio Scholars (Class of 2011) will be recognized on December 11th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The event will be at the Delhi Center in Santa Ana, in case you would like to attend or sponsor the event.

Private donations to the Orange County Leadership Fund also enable us to fulfill our mission and support great programs in the community, including:

High School, Inc. (new career technical education school at Valley High School in partnership with the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce)

Achievement Institute of Scientific Studies program (after-school program for high school students focusing on engineering, mathematics, science and technology)

CLEATS program (soccer initiative to promote teamwork, healthy living and the sport that is loved worldwide)

Cesar E. Chavez Community Celebrations (school assemblies, community events in recognition of Cesar Chavez Holiday in Anaheim and Santa Ana)

Catalina Island Excursion Program (multi-day trip to expose low-income children to life outside the inner city)

Please consider becoming a sponsor of the Orange County Leadership Fund. Sponsorships of $5,000, $2,500, $1,000 or even $100 would be much appreciated.

Donation checks can be made out to the organization, “Orange County Leadership Fund” and mailed to: OCLF, Attn – Jessica Gutierrez, P.O. Box 27171, Santa Ana, CA 92799. This is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, with the tax ID #27-1096489. Contributions are tax deductible. We hope we can count on your support. Thank you for your consideration.

Santa Ana is the county seat and most populous city in Orange County, California, and the 55th-most populous city in the United States with a 2007 estimated population of 339,555. Santa Ana lends its name to the Santa Ana Freeway (I-5), which runs through the city. It also shares its name with the nearby Santa Ana Mountains, the Santa Ana Watershed, and the infamous Santa Ana Winds, which historically have fueled seasonal wildfires throughout Southern California.

During World War II, the Santa Ana Army Air Base was built as a training center for the United States Army Air Forces. The base was responsible for continued population growth in Santa Ana and the rest of Orange County as many veterans moved to the area to raise families after the end of the war.

In November 1988, Santa Ana became a charter city, which allowed citizens to directly vote in mayoral elections. The current mayor of Santa Ana is Miguel A. Pulido, the first mayor of Latino descent in the city’s history.

Since the 1980s, Santa Ana has been characterized by an effort to revitalize the downtown area which had declined in influence. The Santa Ana Artist’s Village was created around Cal State Fullerton’s Grand Central Art Center to attract artists and young professionals to live-work lofts and new businesses. The process has continued into 2009 with the reopening of the historic Yost Theater.

I invite you all to join in us in a masterful display of paintings characterizing some of Santa Ana’s most important landmarks. It’s a small taste of Santa Ana’s people, culture, and architecture. It will feature an array of artists from Orange County who love and understand the importance of Santa Ana.

In addition, Claudia Lavini, a significant credit to Santa Ana, who opened up the R.E.D. Gallery to artists that otherwise would not have the opportunity to exhibit in the Artist Village, will be leaving us. She is going to conquer the world and we love if you all came and wished her luck in her future endevors.